Health minister praises Sussex health trust for going green

A trust which provides community services to thousands of people across Sussex has been praised for its green credentials.

Health minister Stephen Barclay named Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust for ‘pioneering’ ways to make the NHS more green and sustainable.

Mr Barclay said: “We all have a responsibility to reduce our environmental impact and the NHS, world-leading in many other aspects, is certainly capable of becoming a shining example of sustainability.

“Schemes like the one pioneered in Sussex will pave the way for a truly green NHS in the years to come, and I look forward to seeing similar projects across the NHS.”

The community trust has developed a programme called Care Without Carbon (CWC), which it says is leading the way in delivering more sustainable healthcare.

It has cut its carbon footprint by 24 per cent since 2010 – enough to power 200 local homes for a whole year.

Siobhan Melia, chief executive of Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are proud of the excellent care our teams provide at the heart of our local communities.

“As a trust we are always looking at ways of improving and doing things in a more sustainable way.

“The Care Without Carbon team has worked really hard to make being green part of the culture at our organisation and it’s great to see them being recognised at a national level.”

The trust’s travel bureau has been instrumental in encouraging staff to make greener travel choices for both commuting to work, and patient visits.

This has helped towards the reduction in its carbon footprint, and also helps to tackle local air pollution.

CWC have also been awarded a national Certificate of Excellence in Sustainability Reporting from the NHS Sustainability Development Unit.

The award recognises the work done by the NHS to report what they are doing to help protect the environment.